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1. 10 Free SEO Tools to Improve Your Website Ranking

   November 6, 2018 11:46 pm 2 Comments

   

   Search engine optimization or SEO is one of the most utilized of the many different types of digital marketing initiatives. Defined as the practice of increasing organic website traffic, SEO is also the least expensive content marketing option there is.

   SEO is a long and exhaustive process, however. Its application requires patience and dedication, as well as an array of tools helpful for the research of keywords, and the gathering and processing of data, among other things.

   Check out some of the best of them in our list below:

   #1- Google Search Console

   Google Search Console is a free web service by Google that gives webmasters the ability to monitor and maintain their sites’ performance and indexing status. It also determines the following:

   • Queries used that lead end users to their website
   • The comparative performance of the many different queries that lead end users to their website
   • Sites that link to their website
   • The compatibility of their website to mobile devices

   #2 – Google Keyword Planner

   Another free tool from the search giant, Google Keyword Planner assists in keyword research for any and every niche in the market. The tool also does the following:

   • Find information for new and existing keywords
   • Provide invaluable historical statistical and traffic forecast data
   • Provides estimations in clicks and conversions, even serving as a guide in maneuvering the tricky maze of bids and budgets for campaigns

   #3 – Google Analytics

   Google Analytics is every webmaster’s one-stop-shop for every performance they need. It provides insight into a website’s key performances online, which are helpful for marketers looking for vital indicators that will be useful in improving a website’s overall ranking.

   It comes with a conveniently customizable dashboard that could display up-to-date and real-time statistics. Some of the data made available in this free web service include the following:

   • Number of active users
   • Type of users (New vs Returning)
   • Demographics (Age and Gender)
   • Geographical Location
   • User Behavior
   • Technology utilized
   • Users Flow
   • Conversions
   • Network Referrals
   • Content
   • Traffic Sources

   #4 – Moz Keyword Explorer

   Designed by Moz, the Moz Keyword Explorer or KWE is arguably the leading authority in all things SEO related.

   Information could be easily obtained by feeding any of the following onto the search bar: keyword, root domain, subdomain, and exact page. The tool allows SEO enthusiasts to “leverage the largest, most accurate search keyword database to discover and prioritize the best keywords” for their websites.

   Like many other SEO tools, the KWE also has features that could only be unlocked by availing the paid subscription, though the features that do come with the free account are already pretty useful by themselves.

   According to moz.com, the top five unique features of the Moz Keyword Explorer are:

   • KWE takes you all the way through the keyword research process.
   • Metrics essential to the SEO process.
   • KWE’s volume score is the first volume estimation metric that goes beyond what AdWords reports.
   • Keyword suggestions inside KWE come from almost all the sources Moz saw SEOs access manually in their research processes.
   • Import and export functionality are strongly supported.

   #5 – Buzzsumo

   Buzzsumo, on the other hand, is a tool that focuses on content. Any digital marketer worth their salt would know that content is the bread-and-butter of SEO.

   Paid traffic can only take you so far, and at the end of the day, it’s riveting and attention-catching content that wins the game.

   Buzzsumo identifies which type of content would work well with a specific niche, by providing collated information about the top existing players and contributors in a particular topic and field of interest.

   #6 – Spyfu

   Spyfu, originally known as Googspy, is a keyword and search analytics tool. Much like Google’s Keyword Planner and Moz’ Keyword Explorer, Spyfu allows valuable insight to a number of metrics in relation to keywords, search volume, click-through-rate, cost-per-click and ranking difficulty among many others.

   Its most attractive feature is its ability to not just provide a business keyword data of its own campaign, but of its competitors as well.

   #7 – Ubersuggest

   Recently acquired by digital marketing and SEO expert Neil Patel, Ubersuggest is yet another precious keyword research tool that promises to show every bit of available information for free.

   According to neilpatel.com, the website in which Ubersuggest has been relaunched as a part of, these are the three advantages to using Ubersuggest:

   • Keyword Suggestions. Volume, competition, seasonal trends and even negative keyword and filtering have been made available completely for free.
   • Keyword Difficulty. Shows how hard/expensive certain keywords would be, with emphasis on competitiveness of keywords and phrases.
   • Competitive Intelligence. Displays data determining who ranks for what keywords.

   #8 – Siteliner

   Siteliner is a software that diagnoses a website, and looks for issues and errors that might contribute to its online performance in terms of search engine ranking. It pinpoints duplicate content, broken links, page power, and generates a detailed report about the site.

   #9 – Screaming Frog

   The Screaming Frog is an “SEO spider tool” that crawls websites, collecting and analyzing data. Indispensable for beginners and experts alike, it ultimately filters out SEO issues that they might be rectified and improved.

   #10 – Semrush

   Semrush provides a suite of tools for keyword research and competitor analysis. It gives users access to various metrics with emphasis on SEO, PPC, and traffic forecasts. Unlike Google Analytics though, Semrush is focused not just on tracking the progress of a webmaster’s own site, but more on overcoming its competitors.

   Takeaways

   Of course, there are more tools out there that might prove useful when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. The key would be to look for the following traits: proven track record, UI that is easily usable and navigable, and accurate metrics and measurement tools.

   The sheer number of things that require constant meticulous surveillance might seem daunting at first, but remember- knowledge is power. An age-old adage that certainly holds true even in the world of digital marketing.

2. Here Are the 7 Types of Digital Marketing (And How to Use Them)

   October 9, 2018 1:18 am Leave a Comment

   

   Few people would argue that marketing is one of the most important aspects of running a business. After all, generating revenues is one of the main reasons a business owner puts up a firm.

   And it only gets nearly impossible to sell a product or service that people aren’t even aware exists. Where would revenues come from if your product or service are invisible to your customers?

   Here’s where marketing comes helpful.

   With the advent of more sophisticated technologies and innovations, marketers are developing more and more radical ways to approach and utilize various online platforms to promote a brand.

   Definition

   Brands utilize digital marketing, which is one of the most sought-after tools and most profitable means, to promote and heighten awareness of their products to their target customers.

   Also known as “internet marketing”, digital marketing is the marketing tool of choice when wielding the vast and seemingly infinite network of the internet to market a particular business.

   This marketing tool encompasses the use of mobile phones and other forms of digital medium.

   So what makes this form of marketing so relevant and lucrative?

   The Numbers

   As of July 1, 2018, the world population is at 7.593 billion. According to Smart Insights, of this figure, 4.021 billion are internet users.

   There are 3.196 billion active social media users, while 5.135 billion are unique mobile users, and 2.958 billion are active mobile social users.

   Being exposed to such an astonishing volume of audience that could, in turn, become potential customers substantially widens the margin of profitable success, for business startups and seasoned entrepreneurs alike.

   Imagine: the more people who visits a shop, the more products are going to be bought.

   Now there are several types of digital marketing that are currently being practiced and they include, but are not limited to, the following:

   Social Media Marketing

   Marketers use various social media sites and platforms to advertise a product or a service. Social media is comprised of different platforms, tools, sites and applications that require the use of electronic devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, smart watches, and more to share information and interests.

   Meanwhile, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Youtube, are some of the most popular social media entities.

   As the figures shown above show, the more that the world continues to make giant leaps forward in terms of technology, the more that the general population changes and evolves to accommodate the inevitable changes into their everyday lives.

   Interaction and engagement has become increasingly digital.

   According to Statista, Facebook alone accounts for 2.2 billion of monthly users, with Youtube following closely behind at 1.9 billion. Messaging platforms Whatsapp follows with its 1.5 billion figure.

   On the other hand, Facebook Messenger, which the business sector definitely did not fail to take notice and take advantage of, boasts of 1.3 billion users.

   SEO

   SEO or Search Engine Optimization is a series of steps taken to reassure search engines that your website is trustworthy.

   Search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and more are online platforms that can be used to pull up information from the World Wide Web.

   To provide the most efficient and most trustworthy solution to a query, search engines “crawl” through millions of websites, utilizing complicated algorithms to determine the rank with which they are to appear on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page).

   The top spot of the first page is the most coveted position for obvious reasons.

   SEO marketing focuses on aspects that would improve a website’s “score”, allowing it to show up higher and more often in search results, and building organic brand awareness in the process.

   Email Marketing

   E-mail (electronic mail) is a way of correspondence using electronic devices while email marketing is simply the process of sending content to various people at once to elicit attention and pique interest to the product being offered.

   Email marketing is considered to be one of the oldest forms of digital marketing. In 1978, Gary Thuerk, the “Father of Spam” sent the first mass email for advertising purposes.

   Technology has since taken strives towards developing other innovative means, but email marketing remains prevalent in the industry, with brands like the Marriott International, Uber, and Quora opting to continue taking advantage of its many benefits.

   Content Marketing

   Content marketing is the type of marketing that deals with the production and distribution of relevant and engaging material/content for targeted audiences.

   Perhaps one of the best examples of content marketing done right would be SEO and digital marketing-focused company Moz. By providing helpful articles and beginner’s guides in a range of subject from link building to social media marketing, it has firmly established itself as an authority in its field.

   And the fact of the matter is, people are more likely to buy the product or to hire the service of a business that knows what it’s doing than otherwise. Some of the content that can be used for this particular concept are as follows:

   •  Blogs
   • Webinars
   • Podcasts
   • Videos
   • Ebooks
   • White paper
   • Interviews
   • Checklists
   • How-to-guides
   • Case studies
   • Infographics

   SEM

   SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing. The name itself gives a pretty obvious explanation as to how this particular marketing is done.

   In SEM, websites pay search engines to display advertisements on the SERP, without having to rely on organic SEO rankings.

   Perhaps the most notable examples for paid search platforms through which search engine marketing could be performed would be Google AdWords and Bing Ads.

   PPC

   PPC or Pay-Per-Click is a type of marketing that involves buying ads from search engines. It is easily confused as being one and the same as search engine marketing.

   However, whereas SEM ads are limited to the SERP (Search Engine Page Results) PPC ads are also shown on partner sites.

   True to its name, PPC are paid, well, by the click, the price of which is determined by a number of factor such as keyword bids, quality score, competition, click-through-rate, and so on.

   Influencer Marketing

   Influencer marketing relies on the utilization of popular and influential figures in society to attract attention to a product or service.

   “Influencers” could vary from celebrities, models and politicians, to athletes and top executives. There are numerous ways to perform influencer marketing.

   Some of the most notable practices, however, include supplying clothing articles for events, sending product samples to reviewers, providing free accommodations in exchange of being advertised on various social media platforms, and sponsoring events whereby a significant number of people of a particular niche could gather and interact.

   Final Words

   There are a lot of factors that should be considered in the process of choosing which type of digital marketing would be best for a business.

   What should be kept in mind is that, these strategies don’t necessarily have to be applied exclusively.

   Depending on the existing needs and goals of the company, any and all combination of these different types of digital marketing techniques can be exploited at the same time, with proper research and execution.

3. Is Your BPO Partner Committed to Ethical Outsourcing Practices?

   July 16, 2018 12:01 am 1 Comment

   

   Today, the mere mention of the word “outsourcing” can quickly escalate into a mini debate all for the wrong reasons. Globalization contributes to the outsourcing debate whereby one camp would assert that companies’ moral obligation extends to protecting jobs for their fellow nationalities above all else, while the other camp would oppose it.

   In the United States, for instance, there are politicians who include in their political platforms their promise to preserve American jobs and boost domestic employment. Some companies, however, flash their pro-American sentiment card in their ads to point out — lest, hammer the image of — their competitors hire huge number of foreign workers.

   Outsourcing, specifically outsourcing to a BPO company, is one of the often controversial move seen by some in developed nations as an unethical labor practice. Looking closely, is it an unethical practice per se? More specifically, is it bad to outsource?

   But simply put, outsourcing is the mere practice of hiring or contracting an outside company or an individual contractor to perform a contracted work. The selection of a third party outsourced partner is based on expertise and cost-of-labor benefits. Here is why the discussion of ethics in outsourcing can be pretty tricky.

   This blog post we will address this thorny issue of outsourcing to a low-cost country. What are the other aspects of ethical outsourcing? How do we determine whether or not a contractor is committed to the practice of Ethical Outsourcing?

   Is Outsourcing Evil?

   Remember that Google motto, “Don’t be evil”? That dictum neatly positions itself as an ethical firm. Though the search giant has subtly dropped that motto with, “Do the Right Thing”, the shift to doing good instead of merely appealing to avoid any unethical conduct is a welcome change in the corporate world, including the outsourcing sector.

   Many companies who have contracted an outsourced company to perform their non-core activities have reported increased savings on costs and improvement in profitability. All over the world, outsourcing BPO processes and non-core activities is recognized as a competitive strategy for financial success.

   Looking at it more deeply, outsourcing, more particularly the simple practice of letting a third party company perform certain components of a business process, naturally fits into the free enterprise system.

   And before we dwell on the heavy stuff, let us break it down for you. Outsourcing simply means companies of all shapes and sizes find it more beneficial to let an outsourcer perform a certain elements of the operation rather than hire full-time staff.

   Does this practice of outsourcing compromise company ethics? Definitely not.

   Let’s get real, if you are a company and you mind striking a balance between quality processes and affordability, outsourcing is a necessity when conducting your own strategic competitive planning. However, some companies have concerns about the ethics of outsourcing practices at their provider’s location.

   What Are the Criticisms Against Outsourcing?

   One of the criticisms leveled against outsourcing during high unemployment – fair or not – emerge from the wrong perception of some citizens that a business should promote employment domestically. They assert that choosing to outsource to lower-cost contractor should be shunned all at once.

   In light of how a company treats its outsourced BPO partners has ethical considerations. What you practice in your organization reflects on your associates, as well as your own company image. When you outsource, there is a pressure on your business to monitor and maintain high-quality standards.

   To be more specific, here are some additional concerns regarding ethical practice in the outsourcing field:

   • Concerns about security. The ability of the vendor to secure confidential information is one of the key ethical concerns that companies would like to know when contracting an outsourced firm. Outsourcing companies should make the setup of a security systems as one of their biggest priorities. When your prospective outsourcing vendor does not have any security protocols or measures in place, it is best to look for another partner.
   • Below Par Service Quality. Another big concern is the quality expectations that are never met when delivery time comes. If you are looking for a company and expecting above par quality, make sure to request for their track record portfolio, and better yet, seek for a third party testimonies about the company to check their technical competencies.
   • Environmental Commitment Issues. Is your partner outsourcer have in place a roadmap to ensuring eco-sustainability measures? Does your vendor company found negligent or practicing some environmentally damaging processes? Make sure your contractor conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance.
   • Hazardous Work Environment. It is vital that your outsourced partner impose stringent standards on the work conditions at the vendor locations offshore. Before signing up a contractor, make sure that you have carefully reviewed the HR policies of your prospective offshore company.

   Find Out How Big Outsource Addresses Ethical Outsourcing Practices

   As one of the leading BPO companies in the Philippine outsourcing sector while being located at heart of San Pablo City in Laguna province, Philippines, Big Outsource has always been tuned in to our clients’ concerns about ethical outsourcing.

   • We ensure your data privacy and confidentiality measures are strictly enforced. To fully ensure complete confidentiality of our clients’ customer information, we make sure have password protected systems, VPN (Virtual Private Network), encrypted servers, and firewall protected networks.
   • Clear Communication. We make sure that our line of communication with clients is clear. Full transparency is implemented about schedule on transition and pricing. We also make sure that our privacy policies and outsourcing ethics practice are defined clearly.
   • Legal Measures. Our Service Level Agreements with our partners cover all legal aspects of the outsourcing relationship. We also require a Non-Disclosure Agreement with employees and third party service providers to ensure our clients’ interests are protected.
   • High Value Employee Selection Criteria. We impose a stringent hiring measure to ensure that the talent our partner hires meet our standards. Thorough background checks of employees are conducted, which is followed by tough selection processes. The end result would be employees who are team players, honest, ethical and responsible.

   When outsource at Big Outsource, we make sure that you will be satisfied with our services. Moreover, when you deal with Big Outsource, you have a trusted partner that addresses your ethical outsourcing concerns.

4. Why Choose Big Outsource vs. Upwork vs. Freelancer

   July 9, 2018 7:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   When looking for cost-efficient voice service solutions, many businesses rely on Philippine-based call centers to answer their customer support needs. However, for startups and entrepreneurs which lack financial resources, outsourcing call agent work to freelancers and source some work through online platforms seem the more obvious action.

   Although the cost of outsourcing to BPO companies in the Philippines is not as expensive as hiring an in-house call center team, tapping the freelance market for call center agents is all the rage of late, citing lack of financial resources among the main reasons.

   Hiring an in-house team or getting a freelance agent for your business to handle your processes and customer care transactions remain debatable up to this day. Are freelancers dependable? On the other hand, is it still justifiable to outsource if the business merely need a portion of the comprehensive customer solution that the more established call center firms offer?

   In this blog post, let’s find out by comparing and contrasting freelance agents versus call centers in the Philippines. More particularly, we’ll look into reliability, management, skills and expenses.

   Upwork Vs. Freelancer

   Websites like Upwork and Freelancer, currently two of the most popular and active freelancing websites in the world, allow you to outsource one-off jobs to freelancers. Currently the largest freelancing site in the world, the rebranded Upwork boasts its over 12 million freelancers registered with it, as well as 5 million clients. Annually, there are some 3 million jobs posted at the site. Meanwhile, Freelancer has more than 21 million users worldwide with a Best Employment Website award for two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016.

   How Upwork Works

   Clients post their projects on the website which Upwork then matches with a list of freelancers with the right specialization in that particular field of work. This is a boon for clients looking for fast and easy way to search for available remote staff. This then eases clients the tedious effort of sifting through the millions of freelancers registered on the website.

   To help clients choose the right talent, Upwork provides on the freelancer’s profile the skills and the percentage of projects completed, and sometimes the amount of money they earned through the platform. This way, the client can review and make comparisons of their chosen freelancers’ profile and credentials. Client can also conduct an interview to the freelancer personally before making their choice.

   File sharing and various forms of communications are just a few of the tools the website provide clients, as well as let clients prepare invoice and process payments. One thing to love about the website is the Upwork Protection, which guarantees that clients won’t have to pay for assignments they did not authorize or commission the worker to do. By opting the premium subscription, clients receive hand-picked freelancer profiles as well as the service of a dedicated manager.

   Is Upwork Worth It?

   Registering an account at the freelance website is easy, which makes it not surprising at all why there are a lot of freelancers on the platform. Here is where some of the complaints emerge that only a certain percentage of the remote workers there are really experts on what they do. There are not a few complaints from clients that they ended up hiring freelance talent who don’t have the right set of skills for their project.

   So if you’ll go use Upwork to look for people, make sure to search and comb the freelance talent market well to find the right person or project that fit their bill.

   How Freelancer Works

   Clients use the website to post their projects and jobs for free, in which they have the option to invite freelancers to bid on the project or look at freelance workers’ profiles themselves and make an offer to the ones that meet the requirements. At the site, users respond in real time, and projects usually get bidders in a matter of minutes.

   For the bidding process, clients are free to select which of the freelancers got the best ‘technical’ bid or the ones with the ‘best’ quote for the job. This could mean going with a freelance worker who has higher rates and skills that are a much better fit for a particular project.

   Once the project has been awarded to a freelancer, the two parties can communicate constantly through the website to discuss the particulars of the project and to set the expectations that each will make sure happen. Freelancers can allow users to chat, share files, and collaborate while on the go.

   When it comes to paying the freelancer, the client only need to pay once the project is done and the freelancer has completed all the requirements of the assignment. For projects with complex requirements that may mean the freelancer will be getting his payment at the end of the project, the client and the freelancer can discuss about breaking it down into smaller projects. Payment can be arranged based on the milestones and goals they achieve. The website, which uses highly secured encrypted state-of-the-art system, makes sure that payments are secure. The website’s support is also available round the clock.

   Is Freelancer Worth it?

   Here are some of the complaints clients who tried Freelancer have: a) you spend already even before engaging with a freelancer; and, b) issues with billing, (e.g., being billed twice for creating a duplicate milestone), among others. Freelancers who use the website, meanwhile, encounter similar problems, who complained about missing milestones and money. Clients and freelancers want the website to resolve these discrepancies.

   Should Clients Use These Services

   The number of technical issues both clients and freelancers complained about and face demand to be addressed by the website. Bids are limited, too, so if you are a freelancer, you are only allowed up to 10 bids at the same time, which discourages some freelancers from using the website.

   Upwork offer clients with plenty of options and it has a more diverse category of talents and projects and offers free membership. If you are a freelancer, please be guided that you need to know that there are minimal amount to pay whenever you bid on a project.

   Why Outsource Call Center Work to Big Outsource

   This time, let’s find out by faring freelancers against Big Outsource in terms of reliability, management, and expenses.

   Equipment reliability

   Home-based agents must ensure for themselves internet connection and own call center setup, which don’t assure reliability because you are not completely sure the agent’s computer is solely dedicated for call center work. Call Center firms like Big Outsource, on the other hand, invest for state-of-the-art communications technologies.

   Not just updated regularly and backed up, voice-based equipment are maintained by a dedicated IT experts. By investing in sophisticated equipment, infrastructure maintenance and security solutions, Big Outsource want to assure clients that call operations are handled unhampered. Clients’ sensitive data are also kept safe from any form of intrusion.

   Employee Management

   Most freelancers juggle multiple call center responsibilities from multiple employers. This is one of the pitfalls that Big Outsource want to avoid. Our call center agents are assigned to one specific account and work as a team that is led by a designated leader. There is regular monitoring of calls and staff are provide sufficient trainings, workshops, and leadership seminars so they are ready for any levels of agent works while upholding in them a sense of teamwork.

   Reasonable Expense

   Outsourcing to a call center firm can seem steeper by comparison to hiring people from Freelancer or Upwork, however they are actually reasonable. The service quality and partnership longevity you get from hiring Big Outsource far outweigh hiring a freelance or remote agent. When you partner with a call center firm, you pay not only for your agent’s salary, but also for the space, benefits and compensation.

   By compensating your employees well and offering benefits package to employees can translate to motivated agents who will perform their best for their clients. In addition, it also saves clients from additional expenses brought about by frequent employee turnover.

   After All, It’s Your Choice

   There are clear practical advantages and disadvantages to consider when looking for agents from freelancer platforms and outsourcing to a call center.

   When you look for the right freelancer for the job, pay attention to the effort you might consume looking for one. Then there is also the need to ensure clear communication between the client and the freelancer so that the requirements of the project are well understood by both parties. Each party must also know each other’s capabilities, limitations, and expectations.

   In sum, hiring freelancers for single, one-off projects or short contracts can be a great option for you. However, forming an outsourcing partnership with a call center firm is the best solution for you if you need long-term business continuity, security and reliability.

   Having your own dependable call center team is best implemented with the right strategies and resources. Not only you’ll be able to slash the cost of your call center operations, outsourcing to a call center firm can help you achieve your company’s productivity objectives.

5. 3 Key Benefits of Call Center Outsourcing

   June 25, 2018 7:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   Businesses from the United States, UK, and Australia looking for affordable yet quality voice service solutions rely on call centers in the Philippines to answer their customer support requirements. Partnering with a qualified Asian vendor presents critical benefits of call center outsourcing.

   One of the nightmares many companies worry about (from a customer service standpoint) is for their call center to go down. What if the calls are not being answered? What if your customers form a negative impression of your organization and post those on their social media timelines? You know right away where this is going: your productivity suffers.

   Collaborating with call center service providers can afford you with cost-effective benefits – from reliability to structural flexibility, you name it. So, choosing whether to manage internally your call center or to outsource to a third party will surely depend on the context of your business.

   In this blog post, we’ll find out why investing in this business strategy could be the best decision your organization could take.

   Cost-effective

   The most obvious benefit your organization can derived from outsourcing your call center needs is … cost savings. For small to midsize companies, staffing and managing their own call center can be daunting, as well as costly. The outsourced partner usually takes charge of recruiting, training and retaining call agents, which could help save on these human resources management costs.

   The operational expenses of operating their own call center may not be worthwhile for companies that do not sell highly-technical products and services that require in-depth knowledge. Outsourcing to a call center can help you avoid the costs of capital investments, such as quality call monitoring systems, CRM software, chat support integration with your own website, and more, however.

   Seasonal Flexibility

   When you have signed up an outsourced partner, you know you have a support which really comes in handy during your peak season. When you have chosen a call center partner with established focus on providing contact support solutions, rest assured that you have a vendor that can handle the higher volume of calls during your peak seasons.

   Scalability for Growth

   Letting your outsourcing partner handle your call center functions give you extra liberty to focus on your company’s core components while allowing you to address crucial issues at hand. The other things you can do when you outsource is ensure more time and energy for you to develop your products, customer acquisition, marketing campaigns, and other critical success drivers. Outsourcing then can help you expand faster to cope with increased call volume.

   Why our Clients Outsource to Big Outsource?

   Our clients at Big Outsource often return to us with a good news. They often tell us the fast growth they experienced after outsourcing their call support operations to us.

   By outsourcing their inbound and/or outbound calls to Big Outsource, they cited couple reasons. Here are just a few of these reasons: that we’ll look in more depth below:

   • Cost and resource allotment. Just like any business, you spend money to make money and make sure you make every cent count. This is why we designed different contract options with our clients – from hourly billing or any specialized arrangement that suit our client’s business needs.Once our client signed a contract with us, we make sure that our transactions are transparent and let them their expenditures. This way, they can prepare their budget plans to support heir customer call operations.

     Another benefits our clients cited about outsourcing to a third party is that such allow them to put a cap from unexpected expenses (i.e., costly overtime charges) while giving them more freedom in scheduling.

   • Competition in the Labor MarketNowadays, there are so many international cities that experience labor booms and what challenges these pose to employers, such as compete for employees. When your business is located in larger cities, this can be a pretty expensive battle.

     Big Outsource is based in the Philippines yet we are situated in one of the country’s newest emerging economies, San Pablo City. Our clients save money by outsourcing their non-core labor in our company, a different geographical area. To ensure our call center agents are well-taken cared for, we offer our agents a full range of benefits and competitive wages, along with appropriate trainings, retention programs. We also make sure that from within employees get promoted.

   • Shared Philosophy on Customer ServiceHaving customer service goals you and your outsourcing partner share is crucial for long-term success. Companies would more naturally entrust to a vendor with trained professionals to handle their calls with care, and ones that can seamlessly emulate their internal customer service teams.

     At Big Outsource, we make sure that we scale our call support team to handle our clients’ busy periods, be available to make or take calls in the evenings, or be there to assist you on the weekends. Our strict quality assurance are in place to help evaluate the team and their performance.

     As a matter of policy, we make sure that we don’t let our agents to take a phone call and then they juggle helping two people at once. We can imagine how it feels to be that person calling in who reach for a live agent, then left on hold or leaving a message only to wonder if you’ll hear back.

   • Geographical DiversityWhen you outsource from a company based in another region or country than yours, this means you can often be in a different regions or weather patterns from your vendor. This can also allow you to split support between locations for additional coverage whenever necessary.

     This is most helpful when you are based in countries where during winter, you would expect to experience record-breaking snowfall. You can let your outsourcing partner from another geographical side pull together their resources so if you have in-house call support, you can let them go home before the storm hits.

   Finally, what does it all means

   These are just a few reasons we can cite as helpful benefits of outsourcing your call center work. Our hope is that this article provide helpful insights into the importance such business decisions are made. Our clients choose Big Outsource not only for our affordability, but also our flexibility while not compromising on quality so that you can focus on your internal efforts, such as while developing your new products while we handle your call volume.

   If you want a win-win scenario and why outsourcing works, consider the above-mentioned reasons discussed. By considering and asking questions why invest in outsourcing call center, you are a company which is planning for your future.

6. 8 Factors to Consider When Looking for a BPO Partner

   June 8, 2018 7:38 am Leave a Comment

   

   Having the right partner for the labor-intensive Business Process Outsourcing is critical to ensure long-term growth and success. Your new BPO company partner will be a big part of your business, and this means looking for a BPO partner must be carefully undertaken as if your long-term future success hinges on it.

   From a business perspective, you and your BPO partner should understand each other well. And both parties should establish an effective and strategic transaction, ranging from negotiation, communication, and collaboration. The lack of understanding, consideration, and solid agreement could mean the end of your partnership.

   In short, choosing your next BPO service provider is a complex process. When approached without the needed professional approach, your business might suffer. To find good business process outsourcing vendor that can perform the job well, collaborate professionally, and help save money, consider these ways.

   Establish Clear Goals

   When setting your goals, ask these questions. What are your business goals for outsourcing? Do you need outsourcing to help reduce operational costs? Do you think by way of outsourcing, you will be able to improve the quality of your service? Will outsourcing enhance customer experience? Will getting an outsourced company help retain more customer or generate revenues for the company?

   Do you give ‘yes’ as answer to all the questions above? Now, name what is your priority. By having a clear requirement, the better are your chances to achieving your desired business outcome.

   Know What Kind of Relationship

   To get the most out of outsourcing – from getting high-value talent to do stuff for you to managing costs – your relationship with your outsourced partner must be strong. Yet deciding to outsource and the process of selecting the right vendor can be daunting. Foremost when selecting is that your prospective outsourcer adopts high quality standards while still be able to be cost-effective.

   Assess carefully whether the outsourcer doesn’t cut on components crucial to you and your customers. Finally, select a BPO partner that will act more as a strategic partner with your business, than merely a vendor.

   Research What They Do Well

   One of the things to look into is the experiences your prospective BPO partner have in the past. Have they worked with your competitors or other firms in your sector in the past? Choose one with a grasp of industry-specific terms and concepts and a BPO partner whose knowledge base is in-house.

   Make sure the outsourcer is skilled at hiring qualified talents with an industry background, good phone conversation skills, and a good track record in previous jobs. Having well-trained, high-caliber performers employees will put your partner outsourced company in the right position to meet your business objectives.

   Know the Location of Your BPO Partner

   Always consider a BPO company whose geographical location your organization feels most comfortable with. When selecting an outsourcing vendor, make sure the geographical footprint of your outsourced team suits your location needs. If you are after cost-saving, there are many business process outsourcing companies in the Philippines that can provide you with services that can suit your customer needs.

   Remember that time zones can have a great effect on the work you are doing, so make sure to take that into consideration. Make sure that you can organize your workflow so that your business is not falling behind. Establish a mutual understanding so no matter what factors or technical issues you might encounter, problems are easily resolved.

   Good Track for Keeping Employees

   For BPO companies, keeping or retaining their agents is one big priority. Not only regarded as the most important asset, the pool of agents who stays longer in their companies reflect the retention programs and how they are treated. Some outsourcers implement creative incentive programs just to ensure their employees are well taken cared for while strengthening the ability to recruit new, promising candidates.

   Make Sure Outsourcing Partner is Certified

   To ensure certain performance quality is posed by your prospective outsourcing partner, request for certifications. It is a must that just like their clients, BPO companies must possess certain certifications – from employee protection, environmental safety and other anti-hazard protection regulations. Make sure your outsourcing partner understands the many different regulations and compliance guidelines, as well as knows how to treat your customers, accordingly.

   Look for Partner that Can Scale

   Make sure your chosen BPO partner can match all your core operations’ requirements. Do they have a track record in opening and operating new locations? Can they give you a ballpark figure how fast they can get the engagement moving up and running? Look for an outsourced company that can rapidly scale and align its schedule with your business. If the nature of your business is seasonal, ask your partner about their experience in ramping up and down, accordingly.

   Consider Good Communication

   Successful BPO partnership entails good communication between your organization with your outsourced partner. When your vendor outsourcer have a good communication strategy or program, this means the company has made communication its top priority. When your BPO partner is committed to good communication, you can be sure there is smooth functioning of all operations.

   You and your BPO partner must understand each other well to collaborate more effectively. You should be able to work out any possible risks or challenges you anticipate and that you can negotiate for the best solution. Without a healthy relationship and communication your partnership could end very quickly.

   Sooo, this list surely is not all there is to keep in mind when looking for a suitable BPO partner. And it is by no way a suggestion to replace your own business sense about what is the right fit with your business.

   We list this down only as a guide when making the daunting challenge of pre-selecting the BPO partner candidates and eventually deciding for the most qualified company. Take your time and do your homework and then start eliminating BPO candidates one by one until you find the perfect partner.

   P.S.

   This is important, don’t forget to ask about your BPO partner’s former clients and request for reference check. Just don’t expect this to be immediate since most companies do not publicly disclose that they outsource some aspects of their operations, such as customer care. Just be patient when the reference check do not come immediately.

7. Dirt Cheap Outsourcing vs. Premium Outsourcing

   October 4, 2017 1:36 pm 1 Comment

   

   In their desire to cut expenses on their operations, U.S. based Company signed up Company Y as an outsourced firm to take care of their non-core operations – ranging from customer service and accounting back office tasks. Company Y is based somewhere in India and offers a very low price for their outsourcing services. Not long until six months pass, U.S based Company decided to axe the outsourcing contract after careful consideration of the outcome of their partnership on account of volumes of issues U.S. based Company suffered from outsourcing to a cheap outsourcing provider.

   Company X is only one of the many companies who have suffered from setbacks of getting the service of dirt cheap outsourcing companies. For the sake of the uninitiated, dirt cheap is often defined as the rate of the service an outsourcing company in low cost country charge a client, which can go five or more times lower than the usual rate to outsource to a high-end service provider..

   For example, outsourcing a visual design or graphic design can be quite costly when done by a reputable digital agency but the cost can go a lot cheaper when the project is entrusted to a dirt cheap company. Do you consider a web design for only less than $100 very cheap? Yes? A wise move?

   We’ll sure say no when you will be paying for another set of contractor to re-do the unfinished business or redesign a sloppy website design done the dirt cheap way!

   Well, of course you can encounter a few success stories pointing they have been at the receiving end of successful outsourcing partnership with companies offering quite expensive and cheap services. Their ratio is significantly smaller over the massive number of complaints about the terrible experiences of clients with dirt cheap outsourcing service, however.

   Disadvantages of Dirt Cheap Outsourcing

   Yes, you can save a lot with this type of outsourcing service. And yes you can score reliable people working for a very low price – but everything is up to chance and this type of risk is a no-no in running a company. The following are the potential risks that companies might encounter upon working with dirt cheap outsourcing services:

   • Sloppy Works – Let face it, we get what we paid for. So if you paid under $5 for a logo design work, don’t be surprised to get an amateurish, sloppy design. Sure, you may shout and hate the virtual worker all you want but that’s not going to change everything unless you change ship asap to a provider of high quality output.
   • Copycat Works – Related to the No. 1 risk but even more sinister as this involves you possibly facing court hearings, Yes, your enthusiasm in getting the work done for a cheap price might eventually cost you legal issues. Since the service rate is very cheap, outsourced workers have limited budget to conduct copyright or trademark research. Thus, the tendency is for them to use available materials and alas, some of those may actually already have copyright owners.
   • Communication Woes – Offshore companies usually employ workers with English as their second language. Some cheap offshore companies cannot provide programs that can enhance the communication proficiency skills of their employees so much so of their customers’ culture. The downside of this is that when workers are given complex and complicated instructions, hardly there is understanding or a complete grasp of the instructions. This, in turn, could affect how they perform their tasks, which can lead to an outcome that is detached from their clients’ expectations.
   • More Time Wasted – There are offshore companies that employ remote staff, who may be working either at home or coffee shops. The setup leaves workers unmonitored and distracted if they do not have a feasible environment for working. While there are honest and efficient workers who can thrive in such setup, there are some who are inefficient and can a sloppy output due to their work environment.
   • More Revision – Since the outcome of work often go unsatisfactory with cheap outsourcing service, clients seek a couple revisions even for a single task, which can cause delay as against the projected deadline of a project. Also, some dirt cheap companies set off limits with regard to the allowable number of revision request to justify the cheap rate. As a result, the client has no choice but to accept the final revision regardless of the quality made or else they have to make new order.

   Advantages of Premium Outsourcing

   Furthermore, companies can enjoy significant benefits by getting the service of premium outsourcing companies. These benefits include the following:

   • Competent Workers – Premium outsourcing companies not only scout and recruit high-level staff, they have the capability to provide trainings to their workers in relation to the requirements of their clients.
   • Contingency Ready – Since they charge higher for their services, premium outsourcing companies would never let their reputation go downhill. Part of their resolve is to ensure they have contingency plans set to ensure that any risk of unexpected issues are covered.
   • Guaranteed High Quality – From headhunting to recruitment, premium outsourcing companies look for the cream of the crop of the workforce to provide their clients. Hires are not only selected based on their skillsets and qualifications, but also how they can confidently meet the required educational and trainings.
   • Efficient workers – Premium outsourcing companies have the means, technology and the system to monitor their workers perform their work for their clients. Programs to ensure workers are motivated and works efficiently are also implemented, apart from the above average salary and compensation given them.

   A Few More Thoughts

   To avoid common outsourcing disasters, it is highly recommended that companies don’t get tempted by the ground zero rates offered by dirt cheap outsourcing companies. While it is also true that some outsourcing firms that offer higher premiums do not deliver either, here is where you should consider well your options.

   Let’s do the math. When you compare the price set by premium companies with their service, you can still find that they charge you higher because you are eased with the worries of having to pay the stipulated basic salary and compensation packages that you would otherwise pay when you hire a local worker or an agency based in your country.

   Investing in a premium outsourcing company based in the Philippines with a solid reputation, you can still save more than half the amount that you will pay an in-house employee or team.

   Is premium outsourcing service expensive? Yes, but it is worth the price. This will have to depend on how you maximize and optimize your use of outsourcing to get the best value out of your investment.

   Discussing the benefits of employing premium outsourcing service can be endless yet the advantages presented above are enough for now to make you consider outsourcing with common sense.

   At Big Outsource we offer premium services for any of your outsourcing work needs without compromising quality. We understand the value of work needed for the value of your money.

8. What Startups Can Outsource to an Outsourcing Company

   August 1, 2017 12:01 am 1 Comment

   

   Creating and managing a startup is a step closer to materializing the valuable vision that motivates its founder to enter the entrepreneurial landscape. Since startups need to focus on its specialized competencies – and to achieve results – it must, at all cost, shy away from doing routine and repetitive tasks at hand.

   At an early stage of a startup, a founder’s motivation should be in ensuring that its customer base grow exponentially in order to make a profitable business. It is in this light that small to mid-size companies are seeing the importance and benefits of outsourcing.
   Any small and growing company that focuses its energy and resources in minding their core competencies see strong growth and their potential realized.

   The nature of startup companies vary therefore their capabilities and specialization are organically different from one another. Multitasking at this stage is a bad idea as this would cause the company to deviate from its focus. Unfocused operation could lead to more drastic results.

   However, some startup tasks should be outsourced, particularly when the tasks are not within the range of company’s specialization.

   From here we can have a better view of which services should startup companies consider for outsourcing. Functions that can be outsourced include –

   Human Resources

   Although this specific function is considered integral to the generic structure of any existing company, small companies are short in budget and cannot afford to have an HR personnel, and more broadly, a whole department dedicated to HR at this stage.

   There are outsourcing firms that offer their assistance as regards to human resource management. Startup companies can save time and effort by outsourcing the processes involved in recruiting, hiring, and training personnel.

   Offshore companies that specialise in human resource works can provide a better job in relation to employment process than what you can do especially if the nature of your business is nowhere related to human resources.

   Accounting

   Several prominent companies are known for employing third party agencies to perform their accounting tasks in order to prevent technical problems, avoid legal issues, and delays in paying payroll of personnel due to various unavoidable factors.

   Outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping roles, either by hiring a remote accountant or sending out a particular accounting job to an offshore firm, can prove to be less costly and efficient than approaching an established and large auditing firms.

   Processing tax is always time consuming and a starting company should not be burdened by the troubles involved in the tax process. It is highly advisable for startups to outsource this function. CFO service and bookkeeping can also be included in this outsourced function.

   Digital Marketing

   If the nature of your business is nowhere related to digital marketing, you are not expected to ace this function. You may know how to use social media but there are skilled workers out there who have the specialization and ken in handing digital platforms for marketing purpose, and getting their service is just rightful.

   Digital marketing involves complex and varied types of work from content ideation, producing graphics, creating videos, and community engagement. These days, companies must have online presence and this means having a website and social media counterparts to reach a massive population of internet users.

   A startup company can benefit from outsourcing to a remote worker or outsourcing firms to handle their social media presence and strategies. There are skilled web designers, social media managers, proficient copywriters, and professional bloggers who can be contracted when creating your own virtual social media team to handle these functions.

   Legal

   The legal function does not need to be a full-blown department within the company. It just needs one or two legal consultants who can process the legal aspects of the company and provide consulting services on legal matters that the company might encounter from time time.

   By outsourcing to an outsourcing company, you can focus on your startup’s core competencies in producing and distributing your products or services.

   What Are the Benefits of Outsourcing

   Focus

   By getting the service of a BPO company or a virtual worker, a startup can delegate non-core projects. When you are able to concentrate on the more complex aspect of management, strategic planning and execution concerning core products/service, you can achieve your growth targets, which are essential when you have a roadmap set for your startup before trying another business strategy.

   Cost Effective

   A startup with smaller budget can benefit from freelancers but not as much from hiring an outsourcing company. The advantages a startup company can derive from the different outsourcing options vary.

   When you are starting up, you can save from employing a full time remote staff than a local employee who will charge you a standard wage based on the labor laws of your country.

   One of the disadvantages to consider when you hire an independent contractor include delays and sometimes unresponsive virtual staff. A much safer option is to look for a reputable outsourcing company to hire, which will select and choose the best staff not only based on their credentials, but also on other factors like trust, loyalty, and character..

   Efficiency

   Online home-based job platforms that gather a pool of skilled and diverse freelancers like Upwork and Freelancer.com usually work for some startups because of the cost that is cheaper and the duration of the contract is short-lived, which is quite relevant for some projects with expiration.

   However, startups must operate nimbly and produce or ship their products or services faster. They will also need staff who can deliver flawless works and projects without spending too long a time to complete a task. An outsourcing company in this regard can be a better option since there is a contract between the two parties – the outsourcing company and the startup – to ensure that their transaction will be mutually beneficial for both.

   While it may be a little costly to hire an outsourcing company, however, it is a win-win for startup since they are informed well about the arrangement with the hires. Also, outsourcing companies usually impose policies to lessen the troubles associated with hiring individual freelancers.

   High Quality of Work

   There is high quality of work that sometimes goes beyond expectations when you hire an outsourcing company simply because their interest is to protect their reputation at all cost. They can be trusted in hiring personnel to work for your startup since they will ensure that the ones they will select are not only skilled but also efficient in producing or performing high quality works.

   Virtual outsourcing companies with good industry standing are able to attract high-value talent with impressive portfolio and work history. These offshore companies can easily find competent and highly-skilled virtual talent who can perform better than the ones startups might employ full time locally and still need further training.

   Outsourcing is Worthwhile

   While outsourcing any of your startup function can be done by a third party outsourcing firm, your startup must still have a hand in managing the outsourcing works. Startups should still hold control of the critical functions involved in the operations, particularly with quality control. Also, it is important for startup companies to identify carefully what business functions they will outsource and which functions to keep inhouse.

   Getting the service of outsourcing agencies – be it a large scale company or a freelancer – is a smart move to consider in establishing the startup’s brand. However, it is important to know how to select a competent outsourcing company. When you hire a competent and efficient outsourcing firm, you can expect it to deliver results at a lower cost than hiring an individual freelance worker.

   Startup companies can choose a specialized outsourcing company like Big Outsource in the Philippines, whose solid reputation in the business process outsourcing industry has been nothing short of stellar. The company has been serving small to large-range enterprises in the United States, Middle East, Asia and Australia.

9. Outsourcing and the Future of the Workplace

   July 10, 2017 11:25 am 1 Comment

   

   Behold, the workforce landscape is changing and it has already begun. Time is changing and so does the way we work. If you are smart and knows what the future holds for businesses, you know you have to keep your company up with these changes.

   Outsourcing will further rise as a business strategy according to business experts. Also, there will be a spike in the demand for remote workers to help businesses of all sizes remain efficient without breaking the bank.

   So it’s only a matter of time until we can see a future workplace that are seamlessly intertwined with internal and third party external outsourcing partner. Such scenario is not hard to imagine, considering the number of advantages and benefits derived from the outsourcing and remote staffing set-up.

   Before going any further, let’s first take a look at present business landscape.

   What Companies Today Look Like

   Many big companies today are still made up of many departments where specified and distinctive functions are being performed by full-time workers. Generally speaking, this setup in the workplace is the result of the growth of enterprise business models.

   However, employing highly-skilled workers can be costly as they needed to be compensated well. Small businesses find this setup hard to follow. But this was then the only way to achieve cost efficient production of goods and services.

   Due to so many factors, companies today are expected to be strategic. Companies who value quality will simply not use cheap raw materials or cheap labour to survive amid an unstable global economy.

   Today, companies are no longer limited by this workplace setup following the rise of business process outsourcing from low-cost of labor offered by companies in the Philippines, India and China. Hiring a virtual worker to do non-core functions can be an effective way to boost profit growth without sacrificing quality and delivery of customer demands.

   It is already impasse to see outsourcing sector that offer dirt cheap services because premium outsourcing services are becoming more attractive among middle to large enterprises. Today, even small businesses consider outsourcing from a low-cost BPO company in the Philippines that offer premium outsourced services. The game has changed tremendously over the last two decades.

   The Future Workplace

   The 21st century’s key workplace has shifted. And there is a 2015 article published by The Guardian that sees five trends that will define and shakeup the world of work in the future. They are:

   1. Managers, who worries about the health of their staff, would want to keep track of their health;
   2. Many companies will employ freelancers or remote workers, fueled by the innovations and advancement in cloud computing. As technologies become more accessible to low-cost countries, the pool of freelancers who are available to work on demand from remote locations will also increase.
   3. Even today, automation has already become increasingly prevalent. When companies use them, the purpose is to seize the cost-saving advantages offered by these technologies. Enticing to use, artificial intelligence are marvelous to behold as they boost convenience and productivity. But this trend can also be destructive — the worst case scenario would be the replacement of professionals working in companies.
   4. Shift in workplace structures, if not its collapse, are a trend now and will continue in the coming years. Loyalty to management will no longer be the basis for promotion. As corporate structures become more diverse, combined with technological advances, there will be an increasing need for employees to collaborate and companies will adopt a more flexible working environment. Flat management will increasingly be adopted.
   5. Retirement will gone extinct as employees in their senior years will continue to stick around for longer period of time rendering their experience and service.

   Where does outsourcing come in

   Technological innovations are seen driving the shift in the way companies will conduct their operations and business. When companies outsource, collaboration is possible between their internal and staff from an outsourcing company in India or the Philippines, for instance. In the coming years, these countries will remain as top suppliers of competent workers in BPO industry.

   Startups in the coming years will more and more need the help of third party outsourcing companies. Companies can either choose and combine from the two types of outsourcing setup.

   First, outsourcing firms with their own in-house staff such as the Big Outsource in the Philippines; second, websites or virtual working platforms that pool freelancers and remote workers. Depending on the nature of a business, the two are designed to suit various business setup and requirements.

   Startups and established companies can become more efficient when they entrust their non-core operations to external vendors. Companies can have more room and time to focus on their core operations and for its improvement.

   In a survey conducted during the Global Leadership Summit in London, it was revealed that 34 percent of business leaders who attended the event believed that companies’ workforce will completely absorb the outsourcing structure by 2020 and will create an “out-of-office” production as a business trend.

   The outsourcing landscape will experience a boom for promoting flexibility and offering low-cost services. Businesses of the future will more and more embrace how the outsourcing landscape create values to their bottom line.